Chapter Nineteen: Out of the Frying Pan...
Ron was still looking terrified and wide awake, protesting every hour about huge spiders. It was dark still, dawn was on it's way. Draco was unmoving in his resolve to move forward, however, reaching into his trunk to give them all a drink of a Pepper Up potion.
"If we stay, here in one spot, too long we die," Blaise said grinning, "It really is brilliant, that way, if anyone is camping out, trying to find you- they never do. I'm not sure what would happen to a muggle vehicle... if it gets crushed, I'll buy you a new one."
"I'd rather it didn't, but your terms are agreeable," Hermione said, everyone got their trunks, pulling them along. It still wasn't completely safe to try to shrink them or use any magic. Draco stopped, frozen, and looked back expectingly at Harry. With a soft 'oh', Harry rushed up to grab the Veela's hand. Neville was already close behind Blaise, his hands on Blaise's shoulder.
"Alright, stop, this is still not right. Harry, you stay where you are- Neville, you too. Weasel, Granger, in between Blaise and I, do not over step either of us. If I say stop, you freeze. Body bind freeze, don't even blink." Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement, and again they moved forward.
Eventually, a gate loomed in front of them. Nothing appeared out of place, though the night behind the gate seemed to melt and sway within itself. Everyone, except for Blaise and Draco, shivered visibly. Draco and Blaise froze, holding up their hands to motion that everyone be still.
"I've got this one, Blaise." Draco said, cautiously approaching the gate. Slowly, Draco reached out to touch the gate and push it open. There was a sharp spark of blue light and Draco was tossed backwards, narrowly avoiding hitting Hermione and Neville. Snarling, Draco rose and transformed before them, raising to his full Veela height- obviously angry. He charged at the gate this time, wings drawn in around himself and shoved it open with a crash. The same blue sparks snapped everywhere in a brilliant display. Draco landed hard, only going about ten feet this time and landing on all fours, like a cat.
He stood and transformed again, back to the Draco they easily recognized. Neville stepped out a bit,
"You need help Draco?"
"No, I'm fine Longbottom, the offer is appreciated. Blaise," Draco bowed deeply, "after you." Harry grabbed Draco's hand again and they passed through carefully. Blaise stopped to close the gate doors, making sure they latched while motioning for everyone to shrink their trunks and put them up. They seemed to walk forever before Harry heard it,
"Hmmmmmm, the one in the back looks deliciousssss,"
"I like thhhhe girl..."
Giving a sharp tug to Draco, Harry froze. Both Slytherin's seemed to come to atteniton immediately, their heads cocked slightly, listening. Harry looked questioningly at Draco before venturing forward, never letting go.
"The one with me," Harry said into the darkness in Parseletongue, "He's a Veela, and he will shred you if you attack anyone."
"Thhhhere are sssso many..." came the reply.
"There may be, but the other is a Magiodrago, just as vicious and quite a bit larger. We mean you no harm, allow us to go."
"You sssspeak to ussss though you are not ussss..."
"I can speak to snakes, of all kinds."
"I feel that hisss intent is well... we leave hhhhim," Snakes didn't usually have very definite voices but Harry believed this one to be female, and could feel her tongue flick out to touch his face. Draco, barely seeing the movement, jerked Harry back to him with a snarl. Blaise rushed forward, leaned in to fight and Ron, Hermione and Neville fell into formation behind them, wands drawn,
"Wait!" Harry said, pulling out his own wand, "Lumos." Above them, hanging from a nearby tree was a snake Harry thought to be at least twenty feet long, an albino without a doubt while the others were all black and further back behind her, "you are correct, we mean you no harm," he said, reaching out to touch her but stopping right before he did, "we only want safe passage through these woods. May I touch you?" The snake bobbed her hand in agreement and then his hand was on her, stroking the cold scales. Harry didn't know much but he knew that at this late at night she should be warm, moving his wand further up, Harry noticed that most of the trees were deciduous and that not a lot of sunlight could seep through. "I will make you a deal," he continued, "You absolutely garuntee us and anyone else we call friend here safe passage, I will... look the other way... when those we call foe pass by. I will also see to it that more animals are released for food, and better spots for sunning are made. We wish to live here for a while."
The snake bobbed and weaved, looking carefully at each member of their group. Before returning to Harry,
"What issss your name?"
"Harry, and the man behind me is Draco, beside him is Blaise. Neville, Ron, and Hermione stand behind him."
"I ssssmell thhhheir fffear. I am Regina. I would like to be your friend... did you ssssay Blaisssse and Draco?" Harry nodded to confirm that he had, and the snake quickly snapped forward to look at Draco and then Blaise, bobbing between them. Harry held his hand up to let them know she was okay.
"I remember them... though they do not fear me now... thisssss one... he issss pretty." She said, bobbing around Draco, looking at him carefully with her large red eyes but never once touching him. "He sssssmells of you..."
"Thank you, Regina, he smells of me because he's mine," Harry said, not realizing he was going to say it till it left his mouth. The snake snapped back carefully, towering over Harry.
"I mean no offenssse little Harry, tiny ssssnake. I have never met one ssuch as you. You will come and sspeak with me? I will protect you.." Harry nodded, petting the snake again.
"No, offense taken Regina, he is pretty. I will come and speak with you any time you'd like. I could always use another friend." The snake bobbed a bit, nodding, listening.
"Then go, little snake, the others will do as you and I say. I will gaurd you."
Harry turned to Draco and smiled,
"she's going to give us safe passage, her name is Regina and she thinks you're rather fetching."
"Tell her she's not my type- now put out that light, we need to keep moving."
They walked further along, nothing else happening except for the occasional whispered hisses in the darkness beside and behind them. Harry listened to them carefully. They seemed to think Harry, or little snake, as Regina insisted on calling him; was one of them at some point in his life.
"Little sssnake, they are coming, I will dissuade them."
"Who are coming?" Harry asked, staring at the blackness where her voice had come from.
"The ssspiders."
"Tell them that I was once friend to their King, Aragog, and that I mourn his loss." Harry hissed back. They all stopped, wands drawn, as Harry translated what had been said. Ron did his best to be in the middle, trembling.
"Harry is your name?" A very large and hairy spider asked, scuttling to them from the darkness. Ron made a squeaking sound.
"Yes, I am. This is Draco, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Blaise."
"You are a Veela, boy."
"I am." Draco nodded, still standing protectively in front of Harry.
"And this is your mate?" the spider gestured at Harry.
"He is."
"I have met one like you- a strong and powerful creature. I was a child then. I called him friend. Having your bondmate so close to this place... it's a plea... " the spider scuttled forward quickly, "step into the light, I am old and can not see well." Draco stepped forward, transforming to spread his wings and bow to the huge creature.
"You have no fear, yet you do not harm me. You look very much like my old friend, Amicus. Perhaps you are related?" Draco shrugged,
"I do not know, as I do not know my current bloodline."
"And you, little snake, you were friends with my king?" the spider asked, all of his eyes peering at Harry.
"I was, so were my friends over there. Aragog was a good king."
"And what will you give me for your passage here?" The spider asked.
"I will be your ally, we all will. I will speak with Albus Dumbledore and others in the area of the Forbidden Forest and gain you safe passage there- where your king once ruled and now rests." The spider bowed out of Harry's way at that.
"I am at your service, as are my followers. We will allow no tresspasser's here. I will send them forth to secure your way. Be wary of the house little ones."
Blaise and Draco visibly relaxed at this and Blaise smiled brightly in the darkness,
"I told you this wouldn't be too hard."
"If Regina had not taken a liking to me, and the arachnid, a liking to Draco- we'd probably be dead," Harry said, realizing just how dangerous this really had been and wanting to defend the Veela. Draco gave his hand a squeaze and they moved foward with ease.
The house loomed into view. Barely a sillhouette in the darkness, it sat in the middle of what could only be called a small field or a very large yard. Draco held up his hand now for them to stop and Harry could hear Regina hissing a warning from the woods, letting him know she was bound there. Harry called back a thank you and bid her farewell for now. Draco transformed quickly, kneeling for Harry.
"The yard is overgrown and dark. Unless you'd like to stay the rest of the night right here, you will allow me and Blaise to move you all to the house. The yard is riddled with traps and I can't see them."
Harry had no problem holding onto the large Veela as he carried Harry to the porch of the house, setting him down gently,
"Wait for me- don't touch anything my love, I will be right back." Harry nodded in his aggreement and then, just as Draco went to fly back, Harry grabbed his wing, tugging to pull him back,
"wait."
"Blaise- stay." Draco hissed into the darkness, knowing Blaise could hear him- even at this distance. His guard up but sensing no danger, he turned to Harry, "what is it?"
Harry reached out to touch the Veela in the darkness, operating completely off of sound, not able to see where he stood. When his hand touched the smooth skin, it glowed again, as he had hoped and he stepped forward, tilting his head up to try and see Draco. He couldn't of course, so he snaked his hands up to Draco's face, wherever he touched glowing softly. He felt his way up to the hard Veelan features, tracing them softly with his hands to light them up enough to see. Then, he gently pulled Draco into a kiss, lifting himself up as he did so. Draco reacted swiftly, putting his hands at his bondmate's waist, lifting him to deepen the kiss easily. Draco's chest seemed to be vibrating slightly. Realizing it was a purr, Harry grinned against Draco's mouth, pressing their foreheads together,
"I just... I wanted to do that," Harry said, noticing that all of Draco was slightly glowing now, "now, go get them. Let's get to bed, I'm exhausted."
"Of course," Draco said, his Veelan form's voice much raspier than his usual one. Then, Draco was gone. Harry watched as the glow dissipated, but not before he noticed the Veela do a flip in the air. Harry rolled his eyes, grinning.
Blaise lay on the floor, groaning. Upon entering the door, he'd somehow managed to trip some sort of booby trap and had been slammed hard into the nearest wall. Neville was leaning over him, telling him he was fine and to quit being such a big crybaby. Ron was grumbling unhappily to Hermione about how Draco hadn't had to dump him like that on the hard porch, Hermione was grinning, and Draco was arguing that he had lost his grip- not dumped him, dropped- because why would he do that? It wasn't like he held any animosity towards rodents.
Hermione and Neville both sighed and walked around the room, wands held out to detect for any other surprises, and they picked up none. It seemed that the house, inside, was perfectly safe- just as Blaise and Draco had claimed. Harry yawned and Draco went to him, grabbing his hand.
"Blaise? Do you remember how to set the traps back up?" Blaise nodded and pointing his wand to the door, chanted out several spells in perfect rythm. The door slammed closed and the same red light that had thrown him before glowed in the windows for a moment before disappearing.
"Well, since the house is clear- we're going to bed. Find yourselves rooms," Blaise said, grabbing Neville's hand and heading for the stairs.
"Tomorrow," Harry yawned, "tomorrow we start fixing this place up, agreed?" Everyone nodded and grunted their agreement before leaving.